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Adytum
Adytum (Pron. a-də-dəm) is a coastal seaport town on the eastern edge of the Vayu Peninsula. The peninsula itself is situated on the main continent in Spherus Magna's Northeast Quadrant. As it was a town set up due to the Navigation, it is the oldest settlement in the region. Therefore, it is considered the de facto capital of the peninsula and much of the surrounding inland. As the most populous and second-largest settlement on the Peninsula, it boasts one of the most diverse populations of Matoran and Agori amongst the Navigation Cities; Roughly 60% of Adytians are immigrants who came after the city's incorporation. Adytum is well-known throughout Spherus Magna for its balanced climate, high quality of life, and unique architecture. It was selected as the host city for the third annual Reformation Day celebrations and was the second city on the planet to officially allow Toa or Glatorian to reprise their role as guardians. Etymology The town is named after the innermost part of a temple from an ancient country. Its chosen name, like many of the other cities founded directly following the Navigation, often has something to do with a safe, protected sanctuary. History Early History Adytum was among the first set of settlements created under Tahu's, Ackar's, and Kiina's joint orders when the refugee situation in the Mega-Village caused by the fleeing Matoran began to deteriorate. Their solution was the Navigation, an endeavour consisting of twenty Toa of Magnetism and ten Toa of Water. They were to map the entire planet and set up signal beacons at suitable locations for a town. Rusalka, a former Ga-Matoran, was turned into a Toa of Water at Axonn's suggestion and was acompanied by Jotun, a somewhat experienced Toa of Earth, who served as her bodyguard of sorts. Within a week, they sailed northeast from the Mega-Village to a relatively flat, fertile swath of grassland. As they explored further, their travels took them closer to the ocean until they reached the end of a large extension of land surrounded by deep, warm waters; A perfect place for a port town. There, they met another Toa, Bercilak, who had crashed-landed a week prior and had made camp there. The three of them set up their beacon, signalling for the airships either salvaged from Metru Nui or newly built by the Neo-Vortixx to slowly make their way over. The three then aided in the construction of the future town of Adytum with the Matoran and Agori that eventually arrived. Early Growth Adytum in its early years was primairily a farming community, not much more than a collection of straw-roofed stone-walled homes, and was built entirely on land. This is quite a stark contrast seeing as its modern arrangement is a one-of-a-kind architectural masterpiece that juts out into the ocean. Many of Adytum's pioneers aboard the first airhip to arrive were Ga-Matoran, Agori of Water, and De-Matoran, the former two attracted by the proximity of the ocean and the latter by the quiet nature of a sleepy, rural, locality. Among their number were two Toa: Chidori, a young Toa of Lightning and Namoka, a Glatorian of Fire whose powers had been unlocked by Mata Nui. Inexperienced and without much knowledge in dealing with Matoran of Agori, Chidori and Namoka were trained by the three Toa already stationed on the Peninsula. Several years passed without incident and Adytum slowly began to expand as more and more of the countryside was converted into farmland and fishing operations started to pick up. A lightning bolt struck and ignited a field of dry grass during a particularly heavy summer thunderstorm, however, and started a wildfire that tore through most of the fields. Through the intervention of Namoka, who eventually absorbed the rampant blaze, and Chidori, who stood outside and acted as a lightning rod for the remainder of the storm, the villagers managed to salvage what they could. In the end, most of the farms they had spent the past five years cultivating became unusable. The docks and their homes, however, stayed intact. A vote among the Matoran and Agori was held and it was decided to rebuild their town around the surviving docks and fisheries. To this end, Jotun and Namoka aided the villagers by creating molten lava to form a hard bedrock for the foundation, though Namoka ended up mistakenly creating a small, secondary landmass by making the lava too runny. Engineers and builders were summoned from other cities to build a more lasting Adytum and it was at this point one of the architects found inspiration for what to do with the additional patch of land made by the novice Glatorian of Fire. The second island was further expanded to match the original patch of land made by Jotun and a multi-layered village was then built on both with sandstone mined from the deserts to the west. Finally, Adytum's iconic bridge spanning the two islands was built over the span of a year. A fair number of builders decided to stay in the newly built city, causing Adytum's population to swell and diversify greatly. Incorporation By the time Adytum was rebuilt, smaller towns had begun to spring up inland. As it was by far the largest and most developed city in the region, much of the trading and all port activies were centered around it. The smaller communites considered Adytum as a capital of sorts as important matters and other business were also usually head there. To this end, the Adytians requested their city to officially be recognized as a municipality. Officially, Adytum became a city 8 years after the Reformation. An official governing body was quickly set up in the same year and is made up of an elected mayor and a cabinet of 5 officials of his choosing and a Turaga, if one is available. These serve as the mayor's advisors. Around this time, Adytum was already a popular trading and travel port as its location allowed many sailors heading for the northern lands to rest and resupply. Fishing, undersea mining, and logging companies were formed slightly prior to Adytum's incorporation, their rapid growth helping to lend to the city's population boom by attracting immigrants. Recent History Since its incorporation 32 years ago, Adytum has not expanded very much in way of land, but the local population of Ga-Matoran, De-Matoran, and Water Agori has been completely homogenized by the many other Agori Tribes and groups of Matoran that have trickled in over time. The era of small businesses is drawing to a close. As Adytum becomes more and more busy, three main companies have emerged, one for each of the three main trades. Their prominence has even influenced the municipality's governing body and tensions often flare up between two major factions. The faction representing the logging, fishing, and mining industries wish for Adytum to become an independant city-state presided over by a united Consortium of the three largest companies. Adytum is a stronghold of progressive values despite its economy being almost entirely based on primary exports and its working force consisting of a fair amount of labourers. Very early on, demonstrations and protests led to bylaws enshrining the right of Toa and Glatorian to continue living their previous lifestyle of protecting the city without having to pay taxes or provide for the majority of their living expenses. The governing body of Adytum is aware of New Odina and The Shadowed One's presence in the western forests. While there has been some pressure on the five Toa stationed at Adytum to take action against them, ultimately, the Dark Hunters have kept quiet and have not warranted any drastics measures from the Toa. Nevertheless, a watchful eye is always kept on them, even to this day. Geography Ecology Pre-Incorporation During its early stages of development, Adytum was built inland. The area around it was originally a temperate grassland and tall shrubland, consisting mainly of various grasses, clover, and various other bushes, some of which would later be converted into pastures and farmland. However, due to the immense force of Bota Magna and Aqua Magna colliding with Bara Magna, substantial amounts of foreign vegetation is present throughout the Vayu Prairies, as the grassland have become to be known as. A wide variety of hardy terrestial creatures and Rahi make their habitat here, including various organic rodents, badgers, Fader Bulls, Air Gafna, and the predatory Iron Wolf. Due to the nature of grassland, wildfires are a regular occurrence. A sudden blaze was what caused the destruction of Adytum before it become a registered city. Post-Incorporation When Adytum was rebuilt, it was done so on two volcanic islands about a kio off the coastline created by Namoka and Jotun, two Toa stationed there. The islands are situated in an open ocean biome with moderate water tempreatures. As the surface of the ocean around Adytum is not too hot, algae is a common sight. Several species of marine organisms sustain the fishing industry, such as Ruki, Cowrie, various organic fish like cod and tuna, and shelled seafood, including lobsters and juvenile Razorcrab. Makuta Fish are a common sighting and are treated as pests. Tarakava rarely venture close to the bustling city, but there have been occasional signs of them. The vast plains once home to Adytians have begun to become overgrown and there are worrying signs regarding the foreign species knocked about by the Reformation. Several plants have developed into invasive species and compete with the native grasses and shrubs, choking them and reducing their numbers. As of late, no effort has been taken to restore the grasslands. Climate Temperature Like most of the settlements on the peninsula, Adytum enjoys a temperate climate, one officially classified as a subtropical oceanic climate. The weather farther inland is slightly more extreme and to the far west past the mountain ranges, there is a desert. Adytum and the rest of the peninsula, however, have much higher winter and slightly cooler summer temperatures. Being out in the open ocean means the humidity is very high and Adytian summers are notorious for being "sticky", that is, hot and wet. The maximum daily average during summers is expected to reach 27 Caelsis (81 Fraeniit) with the record high measured at 35 °C (95 °F). Winters, by contrast, are often overcast and rain is very common. The temperature rarely ever drops below 2 °C (36 °F), with the average winter daily low being 4 °C (39 °F). In fact, some Adytians have gone for decades without ever seeing snow. The record low is -2 °C (29 °F). Precipitation Rainfall is generally quite high in Adytum, even compared to the rest of the peninsula. Annual precipitation reaches levels reach around 944 mbio (1,293 mm), with much of it coming during early spring and through the winter. Storms are a somewhat common phenomenon, mainly happening during summers and warm springs. Rainwater is an extremely precious commodity within Adytum as it is one of their main ways of collecting freshwater. Cityscape Urban Planning Adytum is not the most populous of cities, but urban planning took into account the extremely limited amount of space available. Instead of a sprawl like New Atero, tall towers, the iconic homes built along the face of walls and along the side of the bridge, and a general feeling of verticality are characteristic of Adytum. Adytum is consistently considered to have a very high quality of life and the low population density means cheap homes, an extremely attractive prospect for immigrating Matoran and Agori. This is not a permanent situation, however, as more and more space is being taken up along the bridge. In the far future, the city may expand underground, though that is an undertaking beyond the current capabilities of Adytians. Architecture As Adytum is a fairly new city, most of its buildings are still in excellent condition. The majority of the city was built with sandstone mined from the desert mountains to the west, but Matoran and Agori coming together have resulted in a curious mix of advanced metal plating and the rustic stone in some neighbourhoods. Furthermore, the rebuilding of Adytum gave it its nickname, The Grand Bridge. An architectural marvel, twenty-five Matoran can fit side by side across the width of the city's bridge. Both functional and well-built, it has stood the test of time despite being built out in the open sea where it is constantly assailed by the tides and saltwater. Law Enforcement Adytum has its own personal Vakhi force, made up of only one model designed by the Neo-Vortixx. The Vahki are the primary law enforcement organization and oversees the Matoran and Agori populace, one that dwarfs all other races. The larger, stronger species such as Neo-Vortixx, Skakdi, Vorox, etc. tend to keep to themselves. They are not the primary focus of the Vahki, but they still fall under their jurisdiction. The Toa Vayu are technically the top enforcement entity on the island and are meant to oversee all internal and external affairs. The Vahki, however, handle so many of the routine tasks that the Toa Vayu are left with only their daily watches and patrols. Furthermore, external incursions need the approval of the mayor. As such, without approval, all the Toa can do are monitor potential threats but not directly act on them. Society Demographics Originally a small community of Ga-Matoran, De-Matoran, and Agori from the Water Tribe, Adytum is now home to Matoran and Agori of just about every element and tribe. The architects and builders who arrived after the emergency summons included Po-, Ta-, and Onu-Matoran, many of who deigned to stay after the rebuilding. Agori and other Matoran slowly trickled in as the city became more prosperous. Each element of Matoran and Tribe tends to live in their own neighbourhoods, a common sight in other large cities. "Little Metru Nui" and "Bridge of Legends" are common nicknames for the bridge among the locals, as Matoran and Agori of all types have informally claimed a little section of the bridge for their own, where they sell goods and services pertaining to their element and tribe. About 20% of the Adytian population consist of Ga-Matoran and Water Agori. A further 10% is made up by De-Matoran. Another 34% is made up of other Matoran, chiefly comprised of Po- and Onu-Matoran. 27% of the inhabitants are made up of Agori from all other tribes, excluding Iron, the Jungle and Fire Tribe being the most populous. The final 9% represents the other sentient species that have come to settle in Adytum. Of this 9%, 80% are Neo-Vortixx. The remaining 20% include Skakdi, sentient Vorox, and Steltians. Economy Overview Adytum, since its inception, has always had a primary economy. Now, the city is known for its three biggest operations: hardwood lumber, deep-sea trawling, and underwater mining. Lumber comes from the deciduous forests to the west and northwest, where logging operations cut down the plentiful white oak, maple, and aspen. None of these trees are particularly highly valued so all three are turned into all-purpose lumber. The operations has had a good track record of re-planting the trees they cut down, but there are still some worries that while the young trees are still germinating, the invasive grasses could encroach on the forests. Deep-sea trawling has taken over from the shoreline fishing of the olden days. Sailors travel far out into the Great Ocean and return to shore, where some are sold live by fishmongers. Some organic fish is preserved, processed, and packaged, making the fishing business one of the few in Adytum to venture into a secondary industry. Undersea mining is the most profitable of the three trades but the least stable and most expensive to maintain. Precious minerals and metals from Bara Magna and the two moons were mixed during the Reformation, much like the flora and fauna of the three celestial bodies. However, protodermis was made by the Great Beings to emulate metals from Bara Magna so metals and their protodermic counterparts are usually used interchangably. Specialized equipment must be bought from Avalos, the legendary Fractal city, as their gemstone technology is not so easily replicated. Gold and Aurudermis are the most coveted, though glowstones, solid protodermis, iron, nickel and copper are also commonly mined. Together, the three monopolies are nicknamed the "Big Three", though "Three Cheeses" is a somewhat prevalent deragatory name among those who dislike the heavy industrialization Adytum is going thorough. Adytum's economic growth is remarkable for such a young settlement. Its GDP has increased by 1.1% from the previous year. Having just been established 32 years ago, development has exploded since then, leading to a prosperous port city. Ports Adytum's rise to international prominence is in no small part due to its port and access to the seas. The city has three ports: the main cargo seaport, the commercial fishing seaport, and a small marina on the western end of the city that also doubles as a home port. All are warm-water ports and the two commerical ports see considerable traffic year-round. The ports notably do not belong to any of the three industrial leaders. Instead, they are government owned, much to the annoyance of fisheries. Government Influence As Adytum's businesses become more and more refined, one company from each of the three main industries have stood out, edging out their competitors. They hold considerable sway within the city, so much so that is has become status quo to select one member representing the three companies as part of the mayoral advisory panel. The three companies wish for less regulations and to have a government that reflects the highly industrial nature of Adytum. As such, there is a faction of workers who continually rally for a government reform. Instead of a singular elected mayor, they want a Consortium made up of three elected officials, each representing one of the major business clans to better reflect the populace's interests. Organized Crime There are rumours, though not entirely baseless, among the workers of Adytum of an underground union that specializes in rackeeteering and high value thefts. The so-called "Craftsman's Guild" has been suspected in several cases where very large deposits were made by leading companies to offshore banks. Any company that made such a payment inevitably went bankrupt or were bought out by the companies that would eventually become the Big Three. Numerous investigations by Adytian law enforcement and Vahki have produced no results. The Toa Vayu have not currently been assigned any action regarding this matter. Disposition Towards Toa Adytians are among those who see the Toa as beings of good and, despite a drastic decline conflict and other hazards, are more than willing to let Toa continue serving and protecting. The Toa Vayu, in particular, are quite popular among most Adytians. Chidori and Namoka are fairly new Toa so Matoran and Agori find them slightly more relatable while the three senior members Jotun, Bercilak, and Rusalka regularly use their powers to aid with daily business. Jotun and Namoka in particular are well known since they were the ones who created the city's foundations. Toa, despite having little to do, are exempt from taxes and a portion of their daily necessities are provided freely by the city. This arrangement is not without controversy. Some of the lower class in Adytum regard this is as extremely unfair. Though the prevailing argument states that the Toa are war heroes and should be treated as such, at the end of the day, they are being cared for by the government while some citizens barely make enough to get by each day. Notable Beings Toa Vayu *Namoka *Chidori *Jotun *Bercilak *Rusalka Neo-Vortixx *Alaric *Tiamat *Ryuko Other *Thom Sail Trivia *Adytum's currency is based off of the following assumptions: **In MNOG II, one can buy a lump of protodermis for 2 widgets. It is assumed a lump is 1 pound. **Protodermis, being used for almost everything, is equated to crude oil as plastic is extremely prevalent. **Using the price of crude oil, a rough comparison of 1.94 USD to 1 widget was calculated. **This value was used to fabricate a believable GDP. *"Caelsis" and "Fraenit" are the Canto Universe replacements for Celsius and Fahrenheit. "Fraeniit" was thought up of by . Category:User:ChineseLegolas Category:Locations Category:Canto Universe